Deciding Love (Bloomfield #3)

by Janelle Stalder

  I shook my head with a smile. “He’s like your kid.”

  “I know,” Colt said.

  Rannon and Colt had been best friends forever so I knew he wasn’t really as annoyed as he pretended to be.

  “What are you doing here then?” I asked.

  He jerked his chin toward the hall saying, “I just dropped Chloe off. She’s sleeping here or some shit like that. Figured I’d give her a lift while I wait for Olivia to get off work.”

  Chloe was going to be sleeping under the same roof as me? Fuck, that was not good. My whole body had stiffened as soon as he’d said her name. I should have figured out that was why he’d been here. It was still taking some getting used to that she was his sister. Colt had never just dropped by before.

  All week I’d done my best to ignore her, even though I still drove her home after school. I might not want her tempting little body around me, but I also didn’t want it around other guys more. Knowing she was sleeping here was going to fuck with my head all night, I could already tell.

  This just cemented my decision to get out of the house and go to the party I hadn’t really been feeling before. At least if I was tipsy I’d be able to fall asleep quickly and forget she was even here.

  The girl was seriously messing with my mind, and I couldn’t understand why. Sure, she was gorgeous, but I’d been with pretty girls before. She wasn’t even really my usual type. Chloe was all sweet and kind, not at all forward and aware of her sexuality like the other girls I’d been with. She wouldn’t know what she wanted and come on to me, she’d be shy and demur. It wasn’t really my thing to have to pull a girl out of her shell to find what lay within.

  Christ, did I ever want to do that with her though. Would she be passionate? Could I make her lose control and turn her wild? It made my hands twitch and my mouth water just thinking about it.

  I’d sat in my car and watched her come out of school all week, my eyes absorbing everything about her while she didn’t know. The way she smiled at people, those dimples coming out, and the way her eyes lit up when someone made her laugh. Most of the time that was Cat or the rocker dude. What would it be like to be the one who made her laugh? I couldn’t even imagine it being me. I was too dark for all her light.

  What pissed me off was she had probably figure that out too. Every day she’d get in my car and barely spare me a glance. Other girls practically pushed each other out of the way to get my attention, but she didn’t seem to care at all. It was possible she just wasn’t attracted to me, which should have made me happy since it made things easier, but it didn’t. It made me want to grab her and show her just why she should be interested in me. I could do things to her that would make her crave more.

  If she would even let me touch her.

  I clenched my hand into a fist, knowing that was likely a no. The only thing she ever did was thank me as she got out of the car. That was it.

  Colt got up to leave and we clasped hands again. He mentioned having a BBQ soon with everyone to reconnect since we were all spread out in different colleges and universities. I agreed it sounded like a good idea and told him to let me know a date and time and I’d be there.

  After he left, I went into my bathroom to style my hair, anxious to get out of the house now. My usual gel wasn’t there though.

  “Fucking, Cat,” I cursed. I hated when she took my shit without asking.

  As I walked out of my room, the door to the hall bathroom opened too, and out stepped Chloe.

  Holy. Shit.

  We stood staring at each other as though we had both been frozen to the spot. My eyes slowly took her in, my blood boiling hotter with every sweep.

  She wore a short, black dress that hugged her curves, her breasts pushed up in a way that had me practically losing my mind. My hands opened and closed at my sides as I imagined what they would feel like beneath my palms.

  Black stiletto heels made her long, lean legs even longer. All that dark hair was pulled up, showing off her long neck. There was something about this girl’s neck that made me want to feast on it.

  And her lips - fuck, her lips. They were red and taunting me. Suddenly she bit at the bottom one and that nearly did me in. Those amazing eyes of hers were painted up, staring at me when I finally looked at them.

  Except she wasn’t looking at my eyes. I realized then that I still wasn’t wearing a shirt, and she seemed riveted by that fact. I could practically feel her gaze as it swept over my chest, arms, and stomach.

  That pretty blush I was slowly becoming obsessed with colored her cheeks as she finally met my eyes. I walked toward her, stopping until there was only a breath between us. She took a step back, hitting the door casing.

  I liked that I made her nervous enough that she felt the need to put space between us. Maybe she wasn’t as unaware of me as she pretended to be. I let a slow smirk spread across my face, telling her without words that putting an extra few inches between us wasn’t going to save her if I decided to do something I might regret.

  Letting my gaze scroll down her again, I raised one brow when I met hers. “Why -” my voice cracked from the hoarseness in it. I cleared my throat, trying again. “Why are you dressed like that?” I asked.

  Those red lips turned down a notch as she looked at herself, pulling at the hem of her dress.

  “Do you think I look bad?” she asked. The uncertainty in her voice chipped away at the wall I’d carefully constructed around my heart. Part of me wanted to instantly tell her that she was the most the beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

  Instead, I tilted my head. “Does it matter?”

  This made her frown further, which only drew my attention to those full lips, and suddenly all I could think about was how much I wanted to kiss her. Taste her. Feel her mouth beneath mine.

  My body swayed towards her as my gaze flickered between her eyes and her mouth, warring with my instincts to claim her. Chloe’s breathing became labored as she glanced at my mouth, her little pink tongue snaking out to wet her lips.

  Fuck.

  She was going to kill me.

  I leaned in further, her scent clouding my mind. That mouth only a whisper away. Just one taste and I would be good. Right?

  “Chloe!” Cat yelled up from downstairs. “Our ride is here. Move it, Sista!”

  I snapped back, creating some much needed space as I took in deep breaths of air that didn’t smell like her. Shit, what had I been about to do? Was I insane? I couldn’t kiss my sister’s best friend and then walk away like nothing had happened.

  Never mind that something told me if I got one taste of Chloe Morgan it wouldn’t be enough. I’d need more than just that to get her out of my system. I had almost majorly screwed up.

  Narrowing my eyes, I tried my best to ignore the way her chest rose and fell with her deep breaths.

  “Where are you going?” I asked.

  She stood up straighter, squaring her shoulders as she seemingly regained her composure. Taking a deep breath, she lifted a brow. “Does it matter?”

  Skirting around me, she walked down the stairs without looking back, leaving me to stare after her with a mixture of pride for that glimpse of spine, and possessive anger that she was going out looking like that without me.

  But above all, intense, overwhelming desire.

  The house was huge, more of a mansion really. It looked like your typical frat house, right down to the banners hanging outside windows, and drunk people passed out in bushes and on the porch steps.

  Light and music spilled out from what sounded like a raging party within. My mood was shit, more so than usual, and my skin felt like it was too tight. The last thing I wanted to do was be at this party and have to socialize with other people. The image of Chloe in that dress was seared into my mind. It was torturing me.

  “Briggs!” Rannon shouted loudly as I walked through the front door. People were shoved in every corner of the room, the floor already sticky from spilled alcohol. Girls danced in the middle of the room, their ey
es and bodies daring the guys to join them.

  If I could turn around then and leave I would. The scene wasn’t me right now, and the pounding music was already giving me a headache.

  “What’s up, bro?” Rannon said, throwing an arm around my shoulders, jostling me. “You look like someone kicked your puppy.”

  “I’m just not feeling this right now,” I admitted.

  “Ahhh,” he said, shaking me. “You’ll be fine once we get some beer in you. I only just got here myself so we can catch up to the others together.”

  Before I could agree, or not, he was gone, pushing his way through the crowd toward the kitchen where I was sure the kegs were set up.

  “Briggs, my man!”

  I looked over to see Phil Weismen headed in my direction. We’d played lacrosse together for years, but I didn’t really like the guy. He was sleazy, the kind of guy I made sure Cat stayed away from. But I was still civil to him, since his family owned practically half the commercial buildings in downtown Bloomfield.

  “What’s up?” I said, clasping hands with him.

  “It’s been ages, bro. How are things?” his voice slurred slightly and his eyes were glassy enough to let me know he’d been here a while.

  I shoved my hands in my pockets. “Things are good.” I really didn’t want to shoot the shit right now.

  “Cool. It’s awesome that you’re here.”

  “Thanks,” I said evenly. “I’m going to find Ran and get a drink.”

  “I’ll go with you,” he said, leading the way down the hall.

  Great, I thought. All I wanted to do was get rid of the guy.

  He slowed down, turning his head to look at me, his eyes going wide. “Wait until you see this girl that’s here, man. I’m going to show her the real college experience,” he said with a wide grin.

  I couldn’t stop my face from scrunching up in distaste. The guy was disgusting.

  “She’s got the longest legs, man. And get this, her eyes are different colours.”

  His words penetrated my mind just as my hand instinctively shot out, gripping the front of his shirt. Slamming him against the wall, I sent the people around us instantly stepping back, their faces already anticipating a fight. Fucking vultures.

  “What did you say?” I bit out through gritted teeth.

  He raised both hands, trying his best to arch away from my grip.

  “Easy, man.”

  I gave him a rough shake. “Answer me.”

  “S-she’s got two coloured eyes. I’m not fucking with you. One is blue and one is hazel.”

  You. Have. Got. To. Be. Shitting. Me.

  Letting him go, I stormed toward the kitchen, the people there stepping quickly out of my way. As soon as I entered the kitchen I found her, as though my eyes were drawn to her by some invisible force.

  “What the fuck?” I said.

  Her head snapped up, those eyes wide as they met mine.

  9

  Chloe

  We were in so much trouble.

  I sat on the counter, laughing at some story Cat was telling Jax and a couple of other guys that had come up to talk to us, when someone by the door to the kitchen caught my eye. Truthfully, it was as though my body had instantly been aware when he’d appeared, my eyes drawn to him instinctively.

  Kyle stood in the kitchen with a murderous look on his face that had the smile instantly melting off my face. My heart picked up speed just looking at him, his eyes narrowed and his mouth turned down.

  Thank God he was wearing a shirt now.

  I shivered at the memory of seeing him when I’d come out of the bathroom. If I’d thought he was perfect before, I’d had no idea just how perfect until I saw him without a shirt. The man had no fat on him, all lean muscle and tanned skin. I’d wanted to run my hands along every inch of him, which wasn’t something I was used to feeling. It shocked me.

  At one point, I had actually thought he would kiss me. There was no doubt in my mind from the way he’d looked at me, that he had liked how I looked in my dress. Even if he wouldn’t admit it. There was need and desire in those dark, bottomless eyes, too much for him to hide beneath his usual blank, indifferent veneer.

  He confused me. It was as though part of him was attracted to me, while another part wanted nothing to do with me.

  I’d left him standing there, disappointed that he hadn’t kissed me, and pissed that he had spoken to me as if he had the right to know what I did with my free time.

  I understood he looked out for Cat, she was his sister, but I didn’t need him being that way with me. I could take care of myself just fine. I’d spent the whole ride to the party trying my best to shuck the bad mood that had descended on me because of him.

  He started to walk over to us. I nudged Cat with my elbow, guessing she hadn’t noticed him yet since she was still going on with her story. Just as she looked at me he reached us.

  “You want to tell me what the hell you two are doing here?” he all but growled.

  “Ky?” Cat said, her voice squeaking. “What are you doing here?”

  He smiled thinly. The kind that said there was absolutely nothing he found amusing about this situation, and that we were in for a world of trouble. “I believe I asked you first,” he said, deceptively calm.

  “Uh...” she looked to me, as if I’d be any help right now. My mouth was dry, and my stomach felt like it was going to bottom out. This felt worse than if my parents had walked into the kitchen to find me there.

  When she saw I was clearly of no help, she looked back at him.

  “We were invited...” she said slowly.

  “By who?”

  Jax stepped forward. “Hey, Briggs, it’s cool man. I asked them to come. There’s no problem here.”

  There was some part of me that wanted to shake my head at Jax and tell him to save himself before Kyle destroyed him. The look Kyle slid his way alone was enough to kill.

  He didn’t say a word, just gave Jax a blank look before turning to Cat and I. “You two, outside, now.”

  Then he turned and stormed out the back door. Cat’s shoulders slumped, like a child who knew they were about to get in deep trouble.

  “Come on,” she said resignedly.

  I shook my head. “Nuh uh. I’ll stay in here.” The last thing I wanted to do was get told off by Kyle.

  Her eyes went wide, pleading. “You have to! He said we both do. And I don’t want to get in shit alone.”

  “He’s your brother. Technically I don’t have to listen to him.”

  The back door opened and all we heard was his voice shout, “now!” before it slammed again. I jumped, my hands gripping the edge of the counter.

  “Your brother’s a buzz kill, Cat,” Jax said.

  “Tell me about it,” she murmured.

  “Maybe you girls should just go and see what he has to say,” he suggested.

  Feeling bad that she would have to deal with him alone, I hopped down and jerked my head toward the door. “Let’s go,” I said.

  “Thank you,” she said with obvious relief.

  We walked out to see him pacing along the back of the deck. Everyone else was on the other side. I couldn’t tell if they’d already been like that, or if they’d all moved to that side to get away from Kyle.

  As soon as he saw us he stopped, moving in our direction with angry, purposeful strides. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, kitty?” he barked.

  She shrugged, smiling weakly. “Socializing?”

  I winced. She was so not good at getting out of trouble.

  “This is a college party. Not a place for high school girls.”

  “Relax, Ky. We’re here with friends from school. It’s not like we’re the only ones.”

  “You’re here with guys from your school, Cat. Do you see any other high school girls?” He threw his hands up in the air. “You know what? That doesn’t even matter. There could be a hundred high school girls here, that still doesn’t make it okay for you to be.”


  “Kyle, I’m going to be going to parties now, whether you like it or not. You’re not Dad. It’s not like we’re being stupid and getting drunk.”

  “Go to parties all you want, but not ones at frat houses!” He stepped closer to her, pointing a finger at her chest. “Do you even know what eighty percent of those guys are thinking in there? Do you know how easy it would be to slip something into your drink and you wake up not knowing what the hell happened?”

  “Kyle, neither of us are drinking. We’re not stupid,” I said.

  His angry gaze flew to me, making me take a step back.

  “And you,” he said, instantly making me regret having said anything. “How do you think Colt would react if he’d come here with me tonight?”

  I shrugged, licking my lips against the dryness that had filled my mouth.

  “I don’t honestly know,” I admitted.

  “Well here’s a clue, he’s got a worse temper than I do, so imagine what that would have been like.”

  I was getting really sick of him and his overprotective attitude. Standing up straighter, I said, “I’d like to think, even if he wasn’t happy about it, he’d still have enough respect for me that he wouldn’t embarrass me in front of everyone.”

  His head jerked back. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did I embarrass you in there?”

  “Yes,” Cat mumbled so softly I wasn’t sure he even heard her.

  “Does it embarrass you to know that someone is looking out for you?”

  “There’s looking out for people, and there’s just being over protective. We’re not children. We are allowed to go out and make our own mistakes. How else will we learn?”

  Cat watched our exchange in silence, her eyes wide as she bit at her thumb nail.

  “You have no idea what it’s like to make some mistakes and have to live with them after. Excuse me if I want to spare my sister some of the harsh realities of life.”

  “That’s fine. You want to look out for your sister? Good. Do that. But I’m not your sister, so you can leave me out of your parental lectures. I get enough of that at home. I don’t need it from some guy who is my friend’s brother.” I realized our voices kept getting louder, to the point where I was now practically yelling at him.